Henderson County

Henderson County, North Carolina — key demographics

Population size

• 116,281 (2020 Census)
• 2023 estimate: approximately 119,000 (U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program)

Age

• Median age: about 48 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~20%
• 18–64: ~52%
• 65 and over: ~28%

Gender

• Female: ~51.5%
• Male: ~48.5% (ACS 2019–2023)

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2019–2023; Hispanic is any race)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~79%
• Hispanic or Latino: ~11%
• Black or African American: ~3%
• Asian: ~1–2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.5–1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%
• Two or more races: ~5–6%

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~49,000
• Average household size: ~2.35
• Family households: ~62% of households
• Married-couple households: ~49% of households
• One-person households: ~28% (about half of these are 65+ living alone)
• With children under 18: ~24% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~77% (renters ~23%)

Insights

• Skews older: roughly 3 in 10 residents are 65+, well above the U.S. average.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with a meaningful and growing Hispanic population (~1 in 9 residents).
• Smaller household sizes and higher owner-occupancy than the national average.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year; 2023 Population Estimates Program).

Henderson County, NC (pop. ≈118,000) has high digital reach and a mature age profile (≈27% age 65+). Population density is roughly 300–320 residents per square mile, concentrated along the I‑26 corridor (Hendersonville–Fletcher), with sparser mountain areas to the south and east.

Estimated email users: ≈95,000 residents (≈80% of total; ≈92% of adults). Gender split of email users mirrors the county’s population: ≈52% female, 48% male.

Age distribution of email users (estimated):

• 13–17: ~6%
• 18–34: ~22%
• 35–54: ~34%
• 55–64: ~16%
• 65+: ~22% (adoption strong but lower than younger cohorts)

Digital access and connectivity:

• ~92% of households have a computer and ~86% have a broadband subscription (ACS 5‑year).
• Fiber and high‑speed cable are expanding along major corridors and in/around Hendersonville and Fletcher; fixed wireless and legacy DSL serve fringes.
• Smartphone‑only internet dependence is notable but minority (roughly one in ten households), higher in lower‑income and rural tracts.
• Public anchors (schools, libraries, municipal Wi‑Fi) help offset gaps.

Insights: Email penetration is driven by high broadband availability and strong adult adoption; the main headroom is among the oldest residents and rural zones where speeds and reliability lag.

Mobile phone usage in Henderson County, North Carolina — 2025 snapshot

Headline numbers

• Population and base: ~117,000 residents; ~96,000 adults (18+)
• Mobile phone users (any cellphone): 92,000–94,000 adults (95–98% adoption), in line with national benchmarks but achieved through a higher mix of basic/feature phones than the state average
• Smartphone users: ~84,000–86,000 adults (about 87–90% of adults), 3–5 percentage points lower than the North Carolina average due to the county’s older age profile
• Households relying primarily on cellular data for home internet: 7–9% of households, above the NC average (~5–7%), reflecting pockets with weaker fixed-broadband options

Demographic breakdown (usage and adoption patterns)

• Age (largest differentiator vs NC):
  • 65+ share is markedly higher (about 28% of residents vs ~18% statewide). Estimated smartphone adoption among 65+ in-county is ~70–78%, below younger cohorts and below statewide 65+ adoption, producing a higher share of basic/flip phones than NC overall.
  • 50–64: high smartphone adoption (~88–92%), but slightly lower than statewide; frequent use of talk/text plus selective app use (navigation, messaging, telehealth).
  • Under 50: smartphone adoption ~94–97%, comparable to state levels.
• Geography and rurality:
  • A larger rural/suburban mix than NC drives modestly lower smartphone penetration and higher prepaid/MVNO usage in fringe areas where coverage or credit screening are constraints.
  • Residents in valleys and hollows east (Edneyville, Bat Cave/Chimney Rock) and northwest (Mills River edges) report more frequent signal fallback to 3G/low-LTE or extended roaming compared with urban NC corridors.
• Race/ethnicity and language:
  • Hispanic residents (~10% of county) mirror statewide patterns of higher smartphone dependence for internet access, lifting the county’s smartphone-only internet share despite the older overall age structure.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Carrier presence: All three nationwide MNOs (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide countywide service; FirstNet public-safety LTE/5G covers the Hendersonville core and the I‑26 corridor.
• Coverage (population-weighted):
  • 4G LTE: >97% POP coverage; generally reliable in Hendersonville, Fletcher, Etowah, along I‑26/US‑25/US‑64.
  • 5G: approximately 82–90% POP coverage, concentrated along I‑26, Hendersonville/Fletcher, and major arterials; coverage is materially spottier than the NC average (often 95%+ POP), especially in mountainous eastern and southern tracts.
• Performance (crowdsourced tests and carrier disclosures, 2024–2025):
  • Urban/suburban nodes (Hendersonville, I‑26 corridor): typical median downloads 70–140 Mbps on 5G with 15–30 Mbps uplink; LTE medians 25–60 Mbps.
  • Rural valleys and hollows: 5–25 Mbps downlink is common, with higher latency and occasional fallback to low-band LTE; performance variability is greater than statewide norms.
• Backhaul and build activity (2023–2025):
  • State-funded fiber expansions (e.g., GREAT/CAB programs) and utility fiber along US‑64/Mills River corridors are improving 5G backhaul and fixed-broadband competition; expect incremental mid-band 5G densification to reduce rural dead zones through 2026.
• Public safety and resiliency:
  • E‑911 and FirstNet sites prioritized on and near I‑26 and Hendersonville; single-path fiber in some mountain segments still creates restoration delays versus coastal/urban NC.

How Henderson County differs from statewide trends

• Older population structure leads to:
  • Lower overall smartphone penetration (by ~3–5 percentage points) and a higher share of basic/flip phones.
  • More voice/SMS-heavy usage among seniors; telehealth and caregiver apps are notable drivers of smartphone adoption growth in this segment.
• Infrastructure asymmetry:
  • 5G POP coverage trails the state by roughly 5–10 points, with more pronounced indoor and terrain-related shadows; LTE remains the practical baseline in several eastern and southern pockets.
  • Higher reliance on cellular as primary home internet (7–9% of households) versus statewide, reflecting gap-filling where cable/fiber are limited.
• Market mix:
  • Slightly elevated prepaid/MVNO adoption in fringe and lower-density areas relative to the state, driven by coverage variability and cost sensitivity.
  • Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) adoption is stronger than the statewide average in neighborhoods lacking cable/fiber, contributing to heavier evening cell-sector loading than typical NC suburbs.

Method and basis

• Estimates synthesized from: U.S. Census/ACS county demographics (age structure and rural mix), Pew Research (2024) mobile ownership by age and geography, FCC/NCDIT statewide coverage and grant activity (2023–2024), and aggregated crowdsourced speed/coverage observations in 2024–2025. Figures are county-specific applications of those sources and reflect terrain-adjusted coverage patterns observable in Henderson County.

Henderson County, NC — Social Media Usage Snapshot

Population context

• Population: 116,281 (2020 Census). The county skews older than the U.S. overall; median age is in the high 40s. Gender: roughly 52% female, 48% male (Census).

Most-used platforms (benchmarks) and local implications

• YouTube: 83% of U.S. adults (Pew, 2024). In Henderson County this is likely the broadest-reach platform across all ages, especially strong with 30+ and retirees for news, DIY, faith, and local gov content.
• Facebook: 68% of U.S. adults. Expect above-average local reliance due to older age mix: core for community groups, events, Marketplace, and local news.
• Instagram: 47% of U.S. adults. Local reach concentrated in 18–34s and parents; important for tourism, food, and lifestyle businesses.
• TikTok: 33% of U.S. adults. Present but lower relative penetration locally given older skew; strongest among teens/young adults and service workers.
• Pinterest: 35% of U.S. adults. Over-index with women 25–54; strong for home, garden, crafts—aligned with local interests.
• LinkedIn: ~30–33% of U.S. adults. Useful for healthcare, manufacturing, and professional services recruiting; modest community reach.
• Snapchat: 27% of U.S. adults. Youth-oriented; niche outside schools and teen circles.
• X (Twitter): ~22% of U.S. adults. Niche for news and civic actors.
• Reddit: ~22% of U.S. adults. Niche; tech/hobby communities more than local.
• Nextdoor: ~19–20% of U.S. adults. Expect above-average local usage given high homeownership; strong for neighborhood alerts, services, and hyperlocal discussion.
• WhatsApp: ~29% of U.S. adults. Useful among bilingual and international families; relevant for the county’s Hispanic community.

Age-group usage patterns (Pew 2024 benchmarks; Henderson County over-indexes older)

• 18–29: Instagram (78%), Snapchat (65%), TikTok (62%), YouTube (93%), Facebook (~32%). Locally, this cohort is smaller but highly active on visual/video apps; best for youth recruiting, events, and nightlife.
• 30–49: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube are all strong; WhatsApp use rises among multicultural households. Key group for family services, homebuying, healthcare.
• 50–64: Facebook (73%), YouTube (83%), Pinterest (~45%), Nextdoor rising. Core audience for local businesses, volunteerism, civic engagement.
• 65+: Facebook (50%), YouTube (60%), Nextdoor growth. High engagement with local gov, churches, nonprofits, and health content.

Gender breakdown highlights

• Overall county: slight female majority.
• Platform skews: Pinterest strongly female; Facebook slightly female-leaning; TikTok and Instagram balanced to slightly female-leaning; Reddit and X male-leaning; LinkedIn slightly male-leaning. Local buying decisions on Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest are disproportionately influenced by women 30–64.

Behavioral trends in Henderson County

• Community-first behavior: Facebook Groups and Nextdoor drive word-of-mouth for local services, events, and public safety. Marketplace is a high-traffic channel for resale and small vendors.
• Video as utility: YouTube is used for how-to, home/garden, automotive, and streaming civic/church content; short-form video (Reels/TikTok) performs when tied to local places and faces.
• Trust in local signals: Posts featuring recognizable local landmarks, organizations, or people outperform generic creative; recommendations and reviews matter more than brand polish.
• Event-driven spikes: Fairs, festivals, school sports, and seasonal tourism produce predictable engagement surges; timely posting and geotargeted ads pay off.
• Messaging as conversion: Facebook Messenger is a primary contact method for small businesses; WhatsApp is effective for Spanish-language outreach and community groups.
• Dayparting: Engagement tends to cluster early morning, lunch, and early evening, with weekends strong for events and Marketplace browsing.

What the numbers mean for reach locally

• Practical ranking for broad local reach: 1) Facebook, 2) YouTube, 3) Instagram, 4) Nextdoor, 5) TikTok/Pinterest (tied, audience-dependent), with LinkedIn/X/Reddit as secondary or niche.
• Expect platform adoption in Henderson County to be higher than national on Facebook and Nextdoor, roughly in line on YouTube, and lower on TikTok/Snapchat due to the older age structure.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Census, ACS); Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (adult platform adoption and age/gender splits). Percentages shown are Pew’s national adult figures; local notes reflect Henderson County’s demographic profile.